Method of retrieving marine life and mineral specimens from ocean{40 s deepest parts

ABSTRACT

A capsule for obtaining samples of sea bottom material contains a molten sample gathering material. A ballast member at the lower end of the capsule causes the capsule to sink freely when dropped into the sea. An explosive device, preferably located in the ballast member, is detonated when the capsule reaches the sea bottom and ruptures the capsule. A piston within the capsule above the sample gathering material is driven downwardly by gas pressure to force the sample gathering material from the capsule into contact with the sea bottom. The sample gathering material has a density lower than the density of sea water and a freezing point higher than the temperature of the sea water whereby the sample gathering material freezes, occludes sea bottom material, and floats to the surface of the water.

United States Patent [151 3,683,699 Grady [45] Aug. 15, 1972 [54] METHODOF RETRIEVING MARINE [57] ABSTRACT LIFE AND MINERAL SPECIMENS FROM OCEAN'S DEEPEST PARTS [72] Inventor: James C. Grady, Port Arthur, Tex. 731Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh,

[22] Filed: May 27, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 147,477

I52] U.S. Cl. ..73/42l R, 73/425 I51] Int. Cl ..G01n 1/04 [SKI Field ofSearch ..73/42l R, 425

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,521,715 7/1970 Krutein..73/425 3,347,101 10/1967 Kennedy ..73/42l R Primary Examiner-S.Clement Swisher Attorney-Meyer Neishloss, Deane E. Keith and Paul L.Tillson A capsule for obtaining samples of sea bottom material containsa molten sample gathering material. A ballast member at the lower end ofthe capsule causes the capsule to sink freely when dropped into the sea.An explosive device, preferably located in the ballast member, isdetonated when the capsule reaches the sea bottom and ruptures thecapsule. A piston within the capsule above the sample gathering materialis driven downwardly by gas pressure to force the sample gatheringmaterial from the: capsule into contact with the sea bottom. The samplegathering material has a density lower than the density of sea water anda freezing point higher than the temperature of the sea water wherebythe sample gathering material freezes, occludes sea bottom material, andfloats to the surface of the water.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 15, 1972 3,683,699

FIG

JAMES C GRADY METHOD OF RETRIEVING MARINE LIFE AND MINERAL SPECIMENSFROM OCEAN S DEEPFST PARTS This invention relates to the obtaining ofsamples of sea bottom material and more particularly to a novel methodand apparatus for collecting sea bottom material and floating it to thesurface of the water.

During recent years, there has been a large growth in interest ininvestigating the sea bottom. The sea bottom has been considered as apossible source of minerals which may be relatively rare on land sites.Study of marine organisms from the sea bottom is of interest ininvestigating the origin of petroleum. While the obtaining of samples ofsea bottom material has not caused any difficulty in shallow waters,improved methods of obtaining samples in deep water are desirable. Onemethod that has been used for obtaining samples is to use a drag linesupported from a barge in deep water. The weight of a line long enoughto reach bottom in deep water demands large, expensive equipment whichordinarily cannot be justified merely for sample taking.

To avoid the cost of a drag line, it has been suggested that kerosene orother oil be used to assist in the elevation of the sample of sea bottommaterial to the surface. One method has relied on the preferentialaffinity of certain minerals for oil to cause finely divided particlesof the mineral, described as mineral flour, to adhere to oil dropletsand be floated to the surface. Obviously, that method is of no value inraising anything but very finely divided materials to the surface. Inanother method, sea bottom material is scooped and directed into thelower end of a conduit and kerosene is discharged into the lower end ofthe conduit to cause an upward flow through the conduit to the surface.The equipment required for such a technique in deep water results inthat technique being substantially as expensive as a drag line.

This invention resides in a method and apparatus for obtaining samplesof sea bottom material in which a capsule filled with a water-insolublemolten sample gathering material of lower density than water is sunk tothe sea bottom and ruptured to displace the molten material onto the seabottom. The molten material freezes and occludes sea bottom material.Because of the lower density than water of the molten material, it risesto the surface where it can be collected and the occluded sea bottommaterial separated from it. A preferred sample gathering material isparaffin.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view partly in vertical section of theapparatus of this invention for obtaining a sample of sea bottommaterial.

FIG. 2 is a view of the lower end of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a g transverse sectional view of a second embodiment of asample obtaining device utilizing this invention.

. Referring to FIG. 1, a capsule indicated generally by referencenumeral is shown having a metallic cylindrical casing 12 closed at itsupper and lower ends. Extending from the upper end of the capsule are aplurality of fins 14 adapted to guide the capsule and maintain it in avertical position as it sinks to the sea bottom. Casing 12 isillustrated as having an upper section on which fins 14 are mountedjoined to a lower section by threads 15.

Connected into the lower end of the casing 12 and forming a part of theclosure of the lower end is a ballast member 16. Ballast member 16 isconstructed of steel orlead to provide sufficient weight to cause thecapsule to sink rapidly to the sea bottom. The ballast member 16 has apercussion element 18 extending downwardly from its lower end andcommunicating through a bore 20 with a cavity 22 in the upper end of theballast member. Cavity 22 is filled with a suitable explosive materialfor rupturing the capsule 12 as is hereinafter described.

The lower end of capsule 12 has a plurality of grooves 24 in the outerwall which serve as rupture areas weakening the wall to aid in. thedischarge of the sample gathering material from the capsule. Slidablewithin the cylindrical casing 12 at its upper end is a piston 26 whichseparates the compartment 28 for the sample gathering material from agas filled chamber 30. Piston26 is shown with a layer 31 of thermallyinsulating material between end plates. A filling port 32 provided witha suitable valve, not shown, extends through the wall of the capsule 10to provide means for filling the chamber 30 with compressed gas.

In the operation of the sampling device, the piston 26 is placed in thelower section of casing 12, the upper section is screwed onto the lowersection and the casing is inverted. Stops 33 limit movement of thepiston when the casing is inverted. The casing is then filled withmolten sample gathering material, which is preferably paraffin having amelting point in the approximate range of F. The ballast member 16 isthen screwed into the end of the capsule to provide a closure for itslower end. Compressed gas is then injected into the chamber 30 under apressure adequate to force the sample gathering material from thecapsule 10 when the capsule is ruptured at the sea bottom.

The capsule 10 is lowered overboard above the site at which the sampleis to be obtained. The weight of ballast member 16 causes the capsule tosink rapidly to the sea bottom with the percussion member 18 extendingdownwardly. When the percussion member 18 strikes the bottom it sets offthe detonator in chamber 22 to rupture the lower end of the capsulewhich is weakened by the slots 24. The compressed gas in compartment 30forces the piston downwardly to displace molten sample gatheringmaterial downwardly and outwardly through the ruptured lower end of thecapsule into contact with the sea bottom material. The sample gatheringmaterial solidifies and occludes particles of the sea bottom. Because ofthe lower gravity of the paraffin relative to sea water, the solidifiedsample gathering material rises to the surface where it can be collectedand separated from the occluded material.

The embodiment. of the invention illustrated in a transverse sectionalview in FIG. 3 is identical to the embodiment in FIG. 1 in all respectsexcept the wall of the cylindrical vessel is of double thickness with aspace 34 between an inner ring 36 and an outer ring 38 to receive athermally insulating material. The insulating material reduces heat lossto the water as the capsule is sinking and thereby reducessolidification of the sample gathering material as the capsule sinks tothe sea bottom.

The sampling device of this invention is inexpensive to construct andoperate. No equipment supported near the level of the sea bottom from afloating vessel is required; hence, there isno necessity for expensivelines and lifting equipment. The occlusion of sea bottom material in thesolidified sample gathering material permits larger particles to befloated to the surface than is possible in a method based on theselective adhesion of mineral particles to oil utilized in some of theprocesses heretofore available. Moreover, sea bottom material can bemore easily recovered at the water surface when it is occluded insolidified sample gathering material than when it is suspended by oilfloating on the water surface. Screening is adequate to separate thesolidified material from the sea water.

In the apparatus specifically described, the percussion device isactuated by contact with the sea bottom. Other devices for setting offexplosive charges used to rupture the capsule can be used. For example,the capsule may be provided with an explosive-detonating device actuatedby an acoustic signal that is sent to the device from the surface of thewater after the capsule has reached the sea bottom. Similarly, a slowburning explosive suitably connected to the percussion element could besubstituted for the compressed air in chamber 30 to provide means fordriving the piston downwardly to discharge the sample gathering materialfrom the capsule.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for collecting samples of material from the bottom of abody of water comprising a capsule having a density causing the capsuleto sink freely, said capsule comprising a casing; a molten samplegathering material within the casing, said sample gathering materialhaving a freezing point higher than the temperature of the water and adensity, when solidified, lower than the density of water; and means forrupturing the casing when the casing reaches the sea bottom.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which a ballast member issecured to the lower end of the casing to orient the capsule as it sinksin the water.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the casing has a pluralityof grooves at its lower end to provide weakened rupture areas.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for rupturingthe casing comprise an explosive when the capsule is at the sea bottom.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the means for rupturingthe casing are located in the ballast member and comprise an explosivecharge in the ballast member and a percussion element adapted todetonate the explosive charge on contact with the bottom of the body ofwater.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for displacingmolten sample gathering material from the casing after the casing isruptured.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the means for displacingthe sample gathering material includes a piston slidable within thecasing above the sample gathering material, and compressed gas above thepiston.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the means for displacingthe sample gathering material from the casing include a piston slidablewithin the casing above the sample gathering material, a slow burningexplosive c arge within the casing gbove the piston, and means ordetonatmg the slow umlng explosive charge.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which fins extend from the outersurface of the capsule at its upper end to maintain the capsule in avertical position as it sinks to the bottom of the body of water.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the casing comprisesinner and outer walls spaced apart and an insulating material within thespace between the walls.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the sample gatheringmaterial is paraffin.

12. A method of obtaining a sample of sea bottom material comprisingsinking a capsule containing a molten sample gathering material having afreezing point higher than the temperature of the sea and a densitylower than the density of the sea water, rupturing the capsule,discharging the sample gathering material against the sea bottom, andcollecting sample gathering material and sea bottom material from thesurface of the water.

1. Apparatus for collecting samples of material from the bottom of abody of water comprising a capsule having a density causing the capsuleto sink freely, said capsule comprising a casing; a molten samplegathering material within the casing, said sample gathering materialhaving a freezing point higher than the temperature of the water and adensity, when solidified, lower than the density of water; and means forrupturing the casing when the casing reaches the sea bottom. 2.Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which a ballast member is securedto the lower end of the casing to orient the capsule as it sinks in thewater.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the casing has aplurality of grooves at its lower end to provide weakened rupture areas.4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for rupturingthe casing comprise an explosive charge and means for detonating theexplosive charge when the capsule is at the sea bottom.
 5. Apparatus asset forth in claim 2 in which the means for rupturing the casing arelocated in the ballast member and comprise an explosive charge in theballast member and a percussion element adapted to detonate theexplosive charge on contact with the bottom of the body of water. 6.Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for displacing moltensample gathering material from the casing after the casing is ruptured.7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the means for displacingthe sample gathering material includes a piston slidable within thecasing above the sample gathering material, and compressed gas above thepiston.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the means fordisplacing the sample gathering material from the casing include apiston slidable within the casing above the sample gathering material, aslow burning explosive charge within the casing above the piston, andmeans for detonating the slow burning explosive charge.
 9. Apparatus asset forth in claim 2 in which fins extend from the outer surface of thecapsule at its upper end to maintain the capsule in a vertical positionas it sinks to the bottom of the body of water.
 10. Apparatus as setforth in claim 1 in which the casing comprises inner and outer wallsspaced apart and an insulating material within the space between thewalls.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the samplegathering material is paraffin.
 12. A method of obtaining a sample ofsea bottom material comprising sinking a capsule containing a moltensample gathering material having a freezing point higher than thetemperature of the sea and a density lower than the density of the seawater, ruPturing the capsule, discharging the sample gathering materialagainst the sea bottom, and collecting sample gathering material and seabottom material from the surface of the water.